Cinderella in Sneakers
by Elsadisney
Summary: A nerdy, bookish and nearsighted girl named Cinderella lives with her stepfamily as a servant in her own home. She has two stepsisters. This is a book request I am doing for retro mania. Please check out my other story, Cinderella: What Really Happened! Thank you!
1. Summary

This new take on the traditional tale has a nerdy, bookish and nearsighted heroine who finds and captures the heart of a studious prince. Full of wit, warmth and charm.

Romantically-challenged Prince Freddy, having just received his Doctor of Philosophy, has returned to his home kingdom and is being pressured by his all-business father, King Frederick, to quickly choose a bride at the upcoming royal ball.

Domineering Brunhilda and greedy daughters, Clarissa and Priscilla, are excited to go to the ball but smart and modern stepdaughter Cinderella would rather stay home and read with her animal friends Aristotle the Crow, Plato the Toad, and Socrates the Spider.

Magical Gwendolyn the Well-Wisher appears and urges Cinderella to go to the ball. Stubborn Cinderella finally agrees to go... provided she doesn't have to wear any stupid glass slippers.

At the ball, Cinderella and Prince Freddy dance and fall in love, but the ball erupts into chaos at midnight with every girl losing a glass slipper; Cinderella loses her red sneaker. Prince Freddy tours the countryside with his trusty friend, Gaston to reunite the sneaker with its rightful owner. Brunhilda, Clarissa and Priscilla throw obstacles in the would-be princess' way, but Cinderella and Freddy find each other by learning that appearances aren't important and it's better to trust your heart.


	2. Young Ella and her Stepsisters

Once apon a time, there lived a girl named Ella. Not so far away lived two girls named Priscilla and Clarissa. They were happy girls who lived with their mother and father. But one day, tradgety struck. Their father was wounded while working in a field. He lay dying at his wife and daughters' side.

"Promise me you'll never forget me," he said to his family.

"We promise," said Priscilla, Clarissa, and their mother.

"Thank you," he said, and took his last breath.

They mourned for weeks. His wife, Brunhilda, became bitter and sullen. Priscilla and Clarissa also suffered and only took comfort in pretty things.

They all needed a man to depend on. When Priscilla and Clarissa were older, their mother married Ella's father. He, too, had lost his wife. Priscilla and Clarissa never became friends with Ella, because anyone you love could pass away at any moment. And so they lived, an unhappy, but complete, family.


	3. Ella's Pets

All too soon, Ella's father had to go on a buisness trip. Brunhilda moved her to the attic, and gave Priscilla and Clarissa Ella's old room. Ella's father died while away. Ella was heartbroken, and Brunhilda knew that they were ruined.

While in the attic, Ella made friends with a crow. She named it Aristotle. It was her best friend, and they often read books together. One night, Ella lay in bed and felt something cold and slimy. She pulled it out. It was a toad!

"You must be as frightened as I am!" Ella exclaimed. "I shall name you Plato."

Plato became her other best friend. Aristotle didn't seem to mind, although Ella had read that in the wild, birds sometimes eat toads.

Her stepfamily was not too cruel to her, although she felt that she had more than her fair share of chores. But being the youngest as well as the stepchild, she felt that it evened out to about fair.

One day, Ella was sweeping out her room. She had lost her favorite book, and decided that her room needed a good sweeping. She pushed up her glasses and began to sweep. She found several spiderwebs and a few dead spiders. Suddenly, she came face-to-face with a very large spider! It was the size of her palm, and it was black.

Ella turned it over. "You aren't a black widow," she said, relieved. "You must be a common spider that has gotten quite large."

Ella hunted until she found a large sandwich. It was half-eaten. She wondered if that was what the spider had been eating to get so large.

She turned around. All of the cobwebs were gone! She spied the big spider rolling up cobwebs and putting them on the ground. "Oh, I don't mind cobwebs," Ella laughed. "Why don't you stick around? I will call you Socrates."

Now she had three animal friends, but she wished for a human friend. Her stepsisters always stayed distant from her. She found her book and began to read. Her friends got closer and closer until they were touching her. Ella snuggled up and read until it got too dark to see. Then she put a candle near her bed and fell asleep. It had been a great day.


	4. Ella Doesn't Want to Go

Ella walked outside.

She had been told that every maiden was invited to attend a royal ball, but she didn't want to go. She would rather read with Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates. Book in hand, Ella sat on the garden bench. She began to read.

 _Once apon a time, there lived two young princesses. They lived in a castle. They were sisters. The oldest was special, for she could..._

"Ella! Aren't you going?"

"Huh?" Ella looked up from her book. Who had spoken?

"Aristotle, can you speak?" Ella wondered. "Or Plato or Socrates?"

"No, silly," the voice said again. "I can. I am Gwendolyn the Well-Wisher, and I asked you, aren't you going?"

"Going where?" Ella asked, picking up the book again.

"Why, to the ball, silly!" Gwendolyn said. "I wouldn't think you want to stay home, do you?"

"No, I don't want to go to some silly ball," Ella said matter-of-factly. "I'd much rather read. Wouldn't you? I have a book you could read."

"No, no, no!" Gwendolyn cried. "This is all wrong! Ella, you must go to the ball!"

"Why?" asked Ella.

"Why? You ask why? To meet the prince!" spluttered Gwendolyn.

"Why would I want to meet some silly prince?" Ella wondered.

"Of course, to..." Gwendolyn started. Then a voice rang out.

"Ella, we're going! Who are you talking to?" Priscilla wondered.

"A lady in the garden," Ella said.

"We'll check that out when we get back," Brunhilda said. "Girls, it is time to go!"

Gwendolyn wore a horrified look on her face. "Now you tell them about me?" she asked angrily.

"They should know," Ella said. "It is their garden, after all. Actually, you're tresspassing. You should go."

Gwendolyn glared at Ella. "I won't leave until I know you're going to the ball," she insisted.

Ella looked at her book. " _Fine_ , as long as I don't have to wear any dumb glass slippers," she said.

"What will you wear?" asked Gwendolyn.

"My sneakers," Ella said. "And why not?"

Gwendolyn grumped, but she knew that Ella had won. She went out of the garden. "Aren't you coming, dearie?" she asked.

Ella smirked. "I didn't say _when_ ," she laughed.


	5. At the Ball

Ella smiled. She had gotten rid of Gwendolyn, and now she could read in peace. Socrates snuggled up against her leg. Aristotle and Plato sat at her feet.

Half an hour later, Ella finished her book. She decided to go to the ball. If she waited too long, the ball would be over, and she would not have kept her promise. Fortunately, Priscilla had left her bike at home, and Ella rode to the ball. She waved to her pets. All she could see was Aristotle, for Plato and Socrates were too small to be seen.

Ella climbed up stairs leading to the palace. She felt a bit worried as the guards looked at her sneakers and outfit suspiciously, but they let her in.

Ella felt something move in her pocket. She reached in- and pulled out Socrates!

"Socrates, what are you doing here?" Ella whispered. "I can't let anyone see you here!"

"Sorry, I already saw," said a male voice. Ella looked up in surprise. It was Prince Freddy!

"I'm-I'm sorry," stammered Ella. "He-he tagged along in my pocket. I-I didn't know. Honest! Pl-please don't be a-angry..."

"I'm not," Freddy said. "I quite like spiders. But the other girls mustn't be shown. They would scream!"

Ella laughed. She and Prince Freddy had a lot in common! From what she had heard, she had assumed that Prince Freddy would be boring and dull, not taking interest in anything she enjoyed. But he was exactly the opposite! Socrates disappeared as the two talked and made their way to the ballroom.


	6. Chaos

Ella giggled at something Prince Freddy had said. Suddenly, as they entered the ballroom, all talking ceased. Priscilla and Clarissa spoke first.

"Ella, where is your fancy dress?" Clarissa wondered.

"Oh, she's wearing sneakers!" giggled Priscilla. "And jeans and a T-shirt! How will she dance?"

"With style," Ella smiled, and began to dance with Prince Freddy. She learned that he had just gotten a doctor's degree in college. Ella wished that she could go to college herself, but their family was poor. She would have to work for many years before she could go.

Suddenly, there was a screech. Brunhilda had seen a big spider scurrying across the floor! All of the girls yelped. Mayhem exploded into the ballroom. Inticrate shoes became lost from girls' feet as they tried to get away from the spider. Ella was forced away from Freddy and out the door. She pushed her way back in. "Where's Socrates?" she cried.

Ella got lost in the crowd. Finally, she found her spider cowering in the middle of the room. Ella picked him up right before a bare foot stepped where he had been standing. Ella gasped and shoved Socrates in her back pocket. Someone stepped on her foot. Ella struggled to get up, losing a sneaker in the process. She pushed her way to the door. "I've got to get out of this crazy place!" she cried, and ran home. Suddenly, she remembered her sister's bike. Priscilla would be angry if she left the bike there. Socrates scrambled out of her pocket as Ella headed back to the castle.


	7. Lost!

Ella raced to the ball and grabbed Priscilla's bicycle. Suddenly, a girl tumbled out of a window, landing on Ella! "I'm sorry," the girl cried, trying to push into the palace. Ella's glasses fell off and broke.

"Oh no!" Ella said. She pushed the bike home, but because she couldn't see, she became hopelessly lost. Ella fell to the ground and began to cry. Suddenly, Gwendolyn walked towards her. As she stopped right in front of Ella, Ella saw who it was.

"You again," she said angrily. "None of this ever would have happened if you hadn't told me to go to the ball."

"The prince was charming?" Gwendolyn asked.

"Yes," Ella grumbled. "But he probably broke an arm when Socrates showed his face."

"Well, what do you want?" Gwendolyn asked.

"I need new glasses," Ella said. "I have to get this bile home. You see, I borrowed it from Priscilla."

Gwendolyn touched Ella's face, and glasses magically appeared! Ella smiled. Without thanking Gwendolyn, she began to make her way home. When Ella arrived, Aristotle nuzzled her face. Ella absent-mindedly petted him and put the bike in the garage. Then she went to her room to read.


	8. Ella's Sneaker

Ella smiled as she watched her spider, Socrates. Socrates had caused a lot of trouble at the ball, but it really was not his fault that all of the maidens were afraid of spiders. Ella looked out the window and smiled. She had really liked the prince. If Socrates hadn't caused such a mess, Ella would have stayed there all night.

From her window, Ella could see the palace. She saw that the mayhem was still going on. As she watched, she saw a young woman come flying out the window. The woman flew closer and closer until she went into Ella's window!

"Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry," she said. Her pink dress swirled elegantly as she jumped out the window and landed on the bushes below. Ella shrugged, noticing that the lady had only one shoe.

Ella looked around. Aristotle was by the bookshelf. Ella grabbed a romantic story and began to read.

 _The sweet girl walked up to the door. She knocked. Suddenly, she saw an awful beast at the door! But she was not afraid. She loved the beast. She knocked on the door again..._

Ella looked up. She heard real knocking. Ella looked out the window and gasped. She had let Brunhilda and her stepsisters wait for a long time!

Ella raced downstairs. "I'm so sorry!" she said. Ella opened the door. A drenched Brunhilda glared at her. "Who locked the door?" she asked.

"You did, Stepmother," Ella said.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Brunhilda said. Although she was bitter, Brunhilda was not unkind to Ella.

Priscilla and Clarissa walked in the door. "My shoe is missing!" wailed Priscilla. "It was one that Daddy gave to me!"

At the mention of their father, both Priscilla and Clarissa promptly started wailing.

Ella wondered why, but didn't ask. She went up to her room and went to bed.

The next morning, Ella waited for her stepsisters to wake up. Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door! Brunhilda answered it.

"Your daughters are to try on the sneaker of Freddy's dance partner," the man said.

"Go away. We don't want any visitors, and my daughters certainly did not wear a sneaker. I would appreciate if you gave them back their shoes, though," snapped Brunhilda.

Just then, Clarissa, red-eyed from crying, came out. "Does he have my shoe?" she asked her mother. Her face fell when she saw the sneaker. "Oh, that's Ella's sneaker," she said with a disappointed look on her face.


	9. The End

"Ella?" the man gasped. "May I see her?"

Brunhilda's face twisted into an ugly glare. "No, you may not," she seethed, "as I will not allow you into the house."

The man was taken aback. "Why?" he wondered.

"I have lost my first husband, I have lost my second husband, but mark my words, I will not lose my stepdaughter to some silly little prince!" Brunhilda screamed.

Just then, Ella walked to the door. "Stepmother, what is all this shouting?" she wondered.

"Are you Ella?" the man at the door wondered.

"Yes..." Ella said. "But how did you know my name?"

The question was left unanswered as Prince Freddy rushed to the door. "It's her! My love!" he cried for joy.

Ella grinned. "How did you find me?" she asked.

"It wasn't easy..." Freddy said. "But I have found you at last. And now I can take you away to my lovely palace."

Suddenly, Brunhilda gave Freddy an icy glare. "You will not take my daughter from me," she said angrily. "Unless the shoe fits Ella. If it does, I will let you take her, but if it doesn't, then she will remain here."

"But why?" Ella asked. "You never speak to me. I feel as if you are avoiding me! Why would it matter to you?"

"I tried not to get attatched to you," Brunhilda said. "It would spare me the grief of you leaving. But I did. I can't take it. If you leave, it will be as if you have died."

Silently, Ella sat down and pushed up her glasses. She felt light-headed. But she knew that she must leave and marry Prince Freddy. She put up her foot, certain that her sneaker would fit.

Freddy put it on-or tried to. It got stuck, and would go no farther. Ella gasped. "It doen't fit?!" she gaped incredulously.

Ella pulled her foot out sadly. She felt as though she had lost her love. In a way, she had. Then, Ella looked at her foot. It was red and swollen, and she remembered that someone had stepped on it at the ball.

Brunhilda smiled. "Ella, you will stay with me!" she said happily.

Ella was far from happy. She fell down and sobbed hard. Ella could not bear it. She was so close to living with her true love, and her dreams had been shattered.

Suddenly, there was another knock. In strolled Gwendolyn the Well-Wisher. Ella lifted her head and glared. "It's all your fault," Ella growled. "I wish I had never gone to the ball!"

Gwendolyn looked amused. "That is not a kind thing to say," she said. Then she touched Ella's foot. It stopped swelling. "Give her another chance," she said.

Ella smiled. She put on her sneaker, and this time it fit perfectly.

The next day, Ella was wearing white. Wedding bells chimed as she kissed Prince Freddy. They were finally married, and they lived happily ever after.


End file.
